AUSTRALIA MAKING BIG BID FOR IMMIGRANTS

Chronicle (Levin), 8 February 1947, Page 7

AUSTRALIA MAKING BIG BID FOR IMMIGRANTS

CSDeciai Correspondentl.

Eeeeived Friday, 7 p.m. SYDNEY, Feb. 7. The enterprise shown by the Minister of Immigration, Mr. Calwell, in chartering the Cunard liner Aquitania , against eompetition from Canada and South Africa, is receiving most favour able comment here. By one strolce he has more than doubled the number of berths available for migrants to Australia. At the same time he annouuces that his department is still making eiforts to eharter other ships from Britain and the United States. The Aquitania, which will be returned to its owners by the British Ministry of Transport in April, is expeeted to take not more than a month for technical refitting. This means that as far as accommodation is concerned, it will be little different from what it was when it carried thousands of New Zealand soldiers to the Middle East. fhe Australian authoriHes 'are requesting that the accommodation shouid be set at 3000 which, while indicating that many dormitories and flats far down in the "ship will be used, will mean that eonditions will be better than when the ship carried over 4000 troops from New Zealand. If permission for this accommodation is granted and the ship adheres to present plans fdr eight trips extended over two years, it will shift 24,000 people to Australia before it concludes the eharter. With the present yearly berthage available computed .it 9250, this total is still far short of the announced target of the Minister. He has hopes of securing the use of at least one of Britain 's idle aircraft carriers vwhich would accommodate a thousand people. But apparently, according to statements made during the past few weeks, obtaining ships is only half the battle. Britain does not seein willing to lose citizens. We have the word of the British Par liamentary Under Secretary for C0I011 ies that though Britain would like to hclp Australia, it was not, at the moment, 111 a position to encourage British people to come here. Further, the influx of foreigners and possibly enemy aliens, is hinted at by today's press.